Richmond has always been a hub for heavy music, but this weekend, we’re about to witness something special. Dark Days, Bright Nights is making its debut, and if you’re into metal, punk, hardcore, or anything in between, this festival’s lineup has something for you. Mixing the old with the new, the festival features a blend of heavyweights like Soul Glo, Inter Arma, and Portrayal of Guilt, alongside legendary names like Pygmy Lush, Pageninetynine (Pg.99), and The Red Scare.
Oh, and for the first time in 25 years, we’re getting a Kilara reunion.
For those who’ve been around the scene for a while, it’s cool to see something fresh like this pop up. The festival was pulled together by longtime friends and music veterans Paul Hansbarger, founder of Persistent Vision Records, and Mike Taylor, guitarist for Pg.99 and Pygmy Lush. What started as a showcase of Persistent Vision’s bands quickly grew into something larger.
“I began working with bands like Habak, Massa Nera, Prisoner, and Private Hell and started thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to showcase all the bands in one big show?’” Paul tells me. “I reached out to Mike and said I’d love to have your help with it. Maybe we could curate some bands that are not part of the label.” The idea snowballed into, “Maybe we do two shows instead of one,” and eventually, they added a third and realized they had turned it into a festival.
Three days with a stacked and mixed bill is something special, but it’s more than just a music showcase. It’s a reunion of friends and bands with deep roots in the scene. “It’s very connected to the label but also includes many friends of Mike’s and Pg.99,” Paul says. “Bands like Kowloon Walled City and Thou—Thou has a long-running history with Pg.99 and Pygmy Lush. Portrayal of Guilt, they’ve toured with both bands in the past. We’ve been fans of Soul Glo for a while, and they’re connected to the tissue of Pg.99 and the other bands.”
One of the biggest highlights? Kilara. For those who remember them, this reunion is monumental. Consisting of members from Avail, City of Caterpillar, and Pg.99, their return feels like Richmond’s past connecting with its future. Mike recalls, “Brandon, who plays in Kilara, also plays in Pg.99. They’d been itching for a reunion a few years back, but it fizzled during the pandemic. When I asked, ‘Would Kilara play?’ I think it caught them off guard.” Paul adds, “Both Mike and I have been fans of theirs for a long time. They were one of the bands we thought of when brainstorming reunion-type bands.”
“Pg.99 played with them a long, long time ago,” Mike recalls. “We remember just being mesmerized by them. We all thought they were cool. The band left a big impression on us. To see them play once again, for me, is special, and I think it will be special for Richmond too.”
Even though this is the first year of Dark Days, Bright Nights, there’s hope that it’s just the beginning. Mike and Paul are already thinking ahead, with dreams of making this an annual event.
“We asked a ton of bands to play this year. Our batting average was, for every five bands we asked, we got one yes,” Paul laughs. “We’ve been brainstorming our big asks and wishlist of bands for next year. There are definitely some reunion possibilities and bands that are currently active who didn’t have time to make it this year.”
“We hope this does well, and that we’ll learn from it and figure out how to do it better,” Mike tells me. “We want it to be a success, we want all the bands to be paid well, and for all the folks coming out to feel like they got their money’s worth.”
If you’re reading this and haven’t bought your tickets yet, you’re going to want to jump on that quick. Whether it’s seeing Kilara back after 25 years, catching Pygmy Lush’s first Richmond show in almost a decade, or just discovering new bands, Dark Days, Bright Nights is set to be a weekend for the books. Richmond, let’s show up and show out for this one.
Friday, September 13
Doors at 7 p.m.
Young Widows
Kilara (reunion)
Pygmy Lush
Nø Man
Porcelain
Northeast Regional
Saturday, September 14
Doors at 4 p.m., Music at 5 p.m.
Soul Glo
Thou
Kowloon Walled City
The Red Scare
Glassing
Habak
.GIF From God
Goetia
Private Hell
Sunday, September 15
Doors at 4 p.m., Music at 5 p.m.
Pageninetynine
Portrayal of Guilt
Inter Arma
Fórn
Massa Nera
Rid of Me
HIDE
Infant Island
Prisoner
Listless
Tickets:
$30 Friday / $45 Saturday / $45 Sunday / $115 Weekend Pass
Purchase tickets and weekend passes HERE
Main photo of Pageninetynine by Michael Thorn of Razorblades & Aspirin
